Neil Young Files Copyright Lawsuit Against Trump Campaign Over Unauthorized Use of “Rockin’ in the Free World”

Neil Young has filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit against Donald Trump’s political action committee, the Trump 47 Coalition, over the unauthorized use of his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” at a recent campaign rally. The complaint, filed Monday, marks the second time Young has pursued legal action against Trump’s organizations for using the track without permission.

In the filing, Young’s legal team characterizes the 1989 anthem as “a blistering anthem that contrasts the hollow promises of American political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the poor, homeless and forgotten.” The suit argues that the song’s lyrics — depicting “a mother discarding her baby, addicts lost in despair, garbage piling in the shadows of prosperity” — deliver “a savage irony, celebrating freedom that clearly isn’t shared by all,” making it “the opposite of everything that Donald J. Trump stands for.”

Young is seeking $10 million in damages, asserting that the Trump 47 Coalition lacked a license to use the composition. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This lawsuit echoes a 2020 case Young brought against the Donald J. Trump for President campaign over the same song. According to the new complaint, that earlier defendant “asserted no defense and immediately settled shortly after it was served, promising that it would never again use ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ without a license and permission from Young.”

A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, Young has been among the entertainment industry’s most outspoken critics of the Trump administration. Last year, he expressed concern that political tensions might prevent his re-entry to the United States while touring Europe. Trump has faced similar disputes with numerous other artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Jack White, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo.

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